The Oyo State House of Assembly has rejected, calls for the state government to negotiate with bandits responsible for the abduction of teachers and students during a coordinated attack on communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
Instead, lawmakers urged security agencies to intensify rescue operations to secure the release of all victims still being held captive.
The resolution was adopted on Thursday following a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Oriire State Constituency, Johnson Ogundele, during plenary after the Assembly resumed from the Eid-el-Kabir holiday.
Presenting the motion, Mr Ogundele described the worsening security situation in parts of Oriire, recalling a deadly attack last month on Ahoro-Esiele, Oyo and Yawota communities.
According to him, armed bandits stormed the communities during school hours, killing a teacher, a student and a commercial motorcyclist while abducting dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
He said the attacks were part of a growing pattern of violence that had plagued the area since this year.
“Let me use this period to call on Governor Seyi Makinde for his swift response, deployment of security operatives, rescue efforts and personal visit to the affected communities,” Mr Ogundele told lawmakers.
He also appealed for greater support for security agencies and the establishment of a permanent military base in vulnerable communities and forest corridors across the area.
The Assembly directed the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to carry out immediate security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements.
Lawmakers further called for the installation of solar-powered security lights, perimeter fencing and CCTV cameras in vulnerable schools, alongside the development of a comprehensive Safe School Emergency Response Protocol for both public and private institutions.
Seconding the motion, Majority Leader Sanjo Adedoyin renewed calls for the creation of state police, arguing that recent rescue operations had exposed the limitations faced by conventional security agencies in difficult forest terrains.
“The security realities confronting states have further justified the need for state police,” he said, urging the Federal Government to remove obstacles delaying its establishment.
During the debate, lawmakers praised Governor Makinde and security agencies for ongoing rescue efforts but warned that more personnel and resources were needed to protect vulnerable communities.
Member representing Atiba Constituency, Gbenga Oyekola, blamed part of the insecurity on inadequate security coverage within the vast federal forest reserve spanning parts of Oyo and neighbouring states.
He expressed concern over reports of mining activities and helicopter movements within the forest despite what he described as insufficient security presence.
Babajide Gabriel, representing Ibadan North II, called for broader reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture and urged the governor to recruit more operatives into the Amotekun Corps.
He also cautioned against politicising insecurity, saying the challenge required collective action.
Meanwhile, Dawood Olalere of Ibadan North-West warned that kidnapping was no longer confined to remote forests, noting that criminal gangs were increasingly targeting urban and semi-urban areas.
He called for improved equipment and weaponry for Amotekun personnel to enable them confront heavily armed criminal groups.
Speaker of the House, Adebo Ogundoyin, strongly dismissed suggestions that the government should negotiate with kidnappers.
“Such a move could embolden criminal elements and encourage further attacks,” he said.
While acknowledging the pain and anxiety of families whose relatives remain in captivity, the Speaker insisted that sustained security operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated rescue missions remained the best path to securing the victims’ release.
The Assembly subsequently urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Defence and relevant agencies, to establish a permanent military base in Oriire Local Government Area.
Lawmakers also called on the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials to affected families.
In addition, the House directed its Committee on Security and Strategy to visit Oriire, assess the security situation and recommend urgent legislative interventions aimed at preventing future attacks on schools and communities.
